Fan Rankings Home » NFL » Top 10 Fantasy Football Player Rankings 2026-2027

Anyone know who William Winkenbach is? I didn’t know either, but he is widely recognized as the originator of fantasy sports. Somewhere in the 1950’s, he had some folks select golf pros participating in a tournament, and the one who selected players with the fewest cumulative golf strokes was declared the winner. This was about 70 years ago. So the idea of matching wits with cohorts who also believe they have better sports roster-building chops than the General Manager of their favorite team is nothing new. And look at us now. Powered by the internet and with elaborate scoring systems and money leagues that only raise the stakes, fantasy sports has changed the way we watch the games.

With the 2026-27 NFL season upon us, we take a look at the players widely expected to be the most coveted on fantasy draft day, regardless of scoring system. With the understanding that, once again, we may end up having to root against players we’d normally root for (and vice-versa), and that in a pure collision sport like the football, injuries are common, regardless of what round you drafted your injured player in (see McCaffrey, Christian), here are the Top 10 Fantasy Football Players for 2026-27.

Honorable Mention

Trey McBride

Team: Arizona Cardinals

Position: TIGHT END

Wide receiver productivity from the tight end position? Now that’s one way to sneak in some extra fantasy football points. It’s rare that a tight end is enough of a factor in any offense to where he can steal a win or two for you. But in 2025, tight end Trey McBride of the quarterback-challenged Arizona Cardinals, did exactly that.

While playing all 17 games in 2025, McBride put up receiving numbers the envy of many NFL wide receivers: 126 catches for 1239 yards, and an eye-popping 11 touchdowns. Imagine getting that kind of stuff from your tight end with your wide receiver numbers still to be tallied. Quite a luxury.

The receiving numbers were no fluke, as McBride also had 111 receptions in 2024, but the touchdown count exploded from two to 11. The other option at tight end with the potential for big reception and TD totals is Brock Bowers of the Los Angeles Raiders. But beware: he was hampered by injuries last year (still snagged seven touchdown passes) and has a rookie quarterback (Mendoza) this year.

Christian McCaffrey

Team: San Francisco 49ers

Position: Running Back

Even if you’re not a fan of Christian McCaffrey, it was kind of cool to see him play in all 17 games in 2025 for the San Francisco 49ers and, at least for one more season, thrust himself back into NFL and fantasy football relevance. This came on the heels (no pun intended) of the 2024 season where he was the clear top choice in fantasy football circles, only to suit up for four games for the entire season due to an Achilles’ issue. Now 30 years old and having spent his first three NFL seasons as a huge chunk of the Carolina Panthers’ offense, McCaffrey has spent the last seven NFL seasons alternating between being a superstar and being placed on the injured list.

Based on his 2025 performance, where he played in all 17 games, rushed for over 1200 years with 10 touchdowns while catching 102 passes and scoring another seven touchdowns in the air, it would seem like a no-brainer to snatch McCaffrey up early in the first round in 2026. But many fantasy team owners who might be tempted to select him early were the same ones who got burned in 2024, so he might slide and become a potential steal of a pick later on.

Those numbers sure are tempting, though.

Top 10 Fantasy Football Players

10. Jonathan Taylor

Team: Indianapolis Colts

Position: RUNNING BACK

In Jonathan Taylor’s six NFL seasons as a running back for the Indianapolis Colts, he has played a complete season twice. In both seasons (2021 and 2025), Taylor led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (18) as well as rushing attempts and first downs while scoring 20 total touchdowns. He scored three touchdowns in a game on four occasions in 2025. Listed at 5’10” and 226 pounds, Taylor is built like an every-down back. His combination of speed and power will always make him a candidate for heavy work as well as a threat to score from anywhere on the field. But the injuries have been a factor, and it was nice to see him come all the way back in 2025.

In addition, Taylor was also a factor as a receiver in 2025 with 46 catches and two receiving touchdowns. Because of the injury history, Taylor remains a first-round risk, but the adventurous owner could see Taylor lead him to a fantasy football title, especially in PPR leagues if the receptions continue to pile up. 

9. Josh Allen

Team: Buffalo Bills

Position: QUARTERBACK

Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen remains the pick for fantasy footballers at that position. While Allen has never put up eye-popping passing numbers on a consistent basis, what stands out is his running ability, where his 79 career rushing touchdowns (including 41 over the last three seasons) are the gold standard for NFL quarterbacks and lucrative for fantasy football owners.

Allen’s 25 touchdown passes in 2025 were his lowest total since his second year in the league, but the Bills have added some offensive weapons, such as wide receiver DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears, in addition to some reinforcements on the offensive line. Allen will frustrate his fantasy owners with pedestrian passing stats some weeks but there’s always the chance he’ll score a rushing touchdown or two to make up for it.

8. Derrick Henry

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Position: Running Back

In most cases, a 32-year-old running back would not garner Top Ten consideration in anyone’s fantasy football rankings. Although the running back has made a comeback in NFL gameplans, their overall shelf life remains low.

Then there’s Derrick Henry. Now entering his 11th NFL season while checking in at a linebacker-esque 6’3″ and 252 pounds, defensive players league-wide are still trying to figure out how to tackle him. He’s scored 10 or more touchdowns in each of the last eight seasons and scored four in one game against Green Bay in Week Two last season where he finished with 16 touchdowns. Not much of a threat as a receiver out of the backfield. Henry will turn 33 right around the start of the 2027 NFL playoffs, so this might be the year he finally slows down. But I wouldn’t bet against him, especially if I had to tackle him in the open field.

7. De’Von Achane

Team: Miami Dolphins

Position: Running Back

De’Von Achane may not be the biggest player in the NFL in terms of physical stature, but he has made his mark as a double threat runner/receiver in his first three NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins. Listed at 5’9″ and 195 pounds (both of which are questionable), Achane has blazing speed, surprising strength, and has established himself as the featured offensive player for the Dolphins without the benefit of consistent quarterback play.

Achane earned Pro Bowl honors last season scoring 12 touchdowns (8 rushing, 4 receiving) with over 1,300 yards rushing and 67 receptions. With the Dolphins looking at a challenging season on offense due to a lack of playmakers outside of Achane, there is certainly an opportunity for him to at least duplicate last year’s numbers, which were superb.

6. Amon-Ra St. Brown

Team: Detroit Lions

Position: Wide Receiver

Consistency is his middle name. Detroit Lions’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is about as reliable as they come where NFL wide receiver productivity is concerned. Consider this: St. Brown is entering his sixth NFL season, and in his last four he has averaged 114 catches per season and has scored at least ten touchdowns in the last three seasons. He and running back Jahmyr Gibbs team up to give the Lions one of the more feared WR/RB tandems in the NFL. Always among the league leaders in targets, St. Brown is the clear go-to guy for QB Jared Goff among his wide receivers.

As a choice in the first round of your fantasy draft, there may be more compelling options available when it’s your turn to select, but there aren’t many safer picks than Amon-Ra St. Brown.

5. Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Team: Seattle Seahawks

Position: WIDE RECEIVER

Third-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njiba certainly had a 2025 season to remember, leading the NFL in receiving yards (1,793), and earning honors as the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year as a member of the Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks. While 2025 was a great year for Smith-Njigba, his breakout year was actually in 2024 where he pulled down 100 receptions in his second NFL season despite some shaky quarterback play.

In 2025 Njigba-Smith led the NFL in yards per touch, and was one of the league’s most dangerous receivers over the final 11 weeks of the season, eclipsing the century mark in receiving yards in eight of those weeks after developing chemistry with quarterback Sam Darnold. The strong finish and a full season with Darnold are reasons for optimism for the Seahawks and the fantasy owners fortunate enough to select Njigba-Smith on draft day.

4. Ja’Marr Chase

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Position: WIDE RECEIVER

Barring injury, you can pencil in Cincinnati Bengals’ sixth-year wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for around 100 catches and double-figures in touchdowns. Chase has been a primary receiving threat since he first walked on an NFL field in 2021, hauling in 81 catches and scoring 13 touchdowns. In his fourth season, 2024, he led the NFL in targets (175), receptions (127), receiving yards (1708), receiving touchdowns (17), receiving yards per game (100.5), and receiving yards per touch (13.4). In 2025, with starting quarterback Joe Burrow suiting up for only eight games, Chase still managed to score eight touchdowns with 125 receptions while receiving throws from Jake Browning and 40-year-old Joe Flacco.

With Burrow back and healthy in 2026, huge numbers are expected for Ja’Marr Chase as he’ll continue to be the number one target in a Bengals’ offense projected to be strong.

3. Puka Nacua

Team: Los Angeles Rams

Position: WIDE RECEIVER

In 2025, Los Angeles Rams’ wide receiver Puka Nacua likely won many a fantasy football championship for players across the country. Not the fastest receiver in the NFL, Pakua is the top receiving threat for one of the NFL’s most potent offenses because he’s not afraid to go into the teeth of the defensive backfield from his slot position and risk getting clobbered while catching a pass. Then he holds onto to the pass. Nacua used his vice grip hands and chemistry with quarterback Matthew Stafford to lead the entire NFL with 129 receptions in 2025, just his third season.

The 2025 Pro Bowler finished the 2025 season with ten touchdowns while sharing the offensive load with running back Kyren Williams and the rest of the Rams’ potent running attack. A wide receiver with an inside running back’s mentality, Nacua’s style of play doesn’t suggest a lengthy career, but the Rams will take whatever he gives them for now. And so will his fantasy owners as he looks to improve on last year’s career high in touchdowns, though the Rams’ plethora of weapons could reduce his numbers.

2. Jahmyr Gibbs

Team: Detroit Lions

Position: RUNNING BACK

Cat-quick running back Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions is one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NFL, having scored 38 touchdowns over the past two NFL seasons. His 18 combined rushing/receiving touchdowns in 2025 was actually a reduction from his 20 in 2024, all this while sharing backfield carries with David Montgomery. Gibbs is a constant threat to score from anywhere on the field either as a ball carrier or receiver, and at a very fleet and decisive 5’9″, he is already through the hole before the linebackers realize he has the ball.

In 2026, with Montgomery off to the Houston Texans, many fantasy football pundits consider Jahmyr Gibbs a threat to improve upon his already gaudy statistics, but the Lions would be wise to not overwork him. Likewise, despite the threat of Amon-Ra St. Brown on the flanks, opposing defenses will likely zero in on Gibbs, though there’s no guarantee it would make a difference.

1. Bijan Robinson

Team: Atlanta Falcons

Position: RUNNING BACK

Bijan Robinson, the running back who wears a quarterback’s number (#7), enters his fourth NFL season having established himself as one of the NFL’s top running backs. A powerfully-built 5’11” and 214 pounds, Robinson had his breakout year in 2024, his second year in the league, scoring 15 touchdowns. Already a certified threat running the ball, he demonstrated his prowess as a receiver out of the backfield in 2025, pulling down 61 receptions for over 800 yards in addition to covering over 1,400 yards as a runner. A Fantasy Football heavyweight.

In early August 2026, the Atlanta Falcons rewarded Robinson for his 2,200-plus yards from scrimmage in 2025 with a 3-year, $66.75 million dollar contract extension (that could reach $75 million with incentives). Robinson is shifty enough to elude tacklers before, during, and after hitting the hole, is powerful enough to break tackles, and fast enough to evade them. The only potential downside is the Falcons’ questionable quarterback situation that might encourage defensive coordinators to stack the line to subdue Robinson while daring the Falcons’ quarterback to beat them throwing.

Bijan Robinson serves as further proof that, after a lengthy absence, the running back is back in the National Football League. Get him if you can.

How would you rank these NFL player projections going into the 2026-27 NFL Season?